


Don't Let Your Guard Down

by greensearcher



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Zuki
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-20
Updated: 2016-07-01
Packaged: 2018-06-03 07:59:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 9,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6603079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greensearcher/pseuds/greensearcher
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One-shots into the dating life of the Fire Lord and his favorite Kyoshi Warrior. Cute and funny Zuki fluff! NEW CHAPTER UP - "Lee"</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Bubble Tea

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there! So this is where I'm gonna post all the fluffy ideas that don't fit into my other more serious/plot-driven Zuki fics. It assumes Zuko and Suki are dating. If you've read my story, Unmasking Truth, I imagine these happening sometime between Chapter 25 and the Epilogue, though these can be read as stand-alone pieces. Enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender and all characters and other Avatar world details are © Michael Dante DiMartino & Bryan Konietzko, Viacom. No money is made by writing and publishing this fanfiction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> References from the tea shop scene in The Promise, Part 3.

Suki stared into the brownish liquid, lifting up the clear glass and watching as several mysterious blobs floated around before settling to the bottom.

"Um…what did you say this was, Iroh?" she asked.

"It's my newest invention!" he said excitedly, leaning over the counter to plop a large straw in the top of the cup. "You must try it, my dear. I'm sure you'll love it!"

Warm fingertips gripped her shoulder. "Suki, _don't do it_ ," Zuko said seriously. He was staring at the drink, nose wrinkled in disgust.

"My nephew, just because _you_ didn't like it doesn't preclude Suki from having a more _refined_ palate."

Zuko scowled. "Aang didn't like it either…" he muttered, leaning his back against the counter and crossing his arms.

Suki paled a little, but smiled sweetly at Iroh as she took a small sip. Zuko turned back, staring at her wide-eyed as his uncle bounced up and down on his toes in anticipation.

Her eyes popped open as something unexpected flew up the straw and into her mouth. "Mmm!" she hummed in surprise.

"I knew this was a bad idea!" Zuko hollered, reaching out to snatch the glass away from her.

"Hold on," Iroh whispered harshly, holding an arm out to stop him.

Suki swished the drink around in her mouth for a moment, then chewed on the mysterious solid bits before letting it all slide down her throat.

She grinned widely. "Zuko, what's wrong with you? This is great!"

_"What?!"_

Iroh was beaming. "This isn't the best tea shop in Ba Sing Se for nothing!" he exclaimed. "You know what, I'll go start another batch of tapioca right now," he said eagerly, parting the curtain into the kitchen.

Suki continued sipping on the tea, smiling at the look of betrayal on Zuko's face.

"You don't have to say that just to make him feel good, you know," he grumbled.

"I wasn't," she smirked, taking another big swig to prove her point.

Zuko looked suddenly curious. "…Let me try that," he said, grabbing the drink from her hands.

"Hey!" she laughed, trying to grab it back. Zuko held her at arm's length, tilting the glass back and letting the rest of the drink fall into his mouth. He swallowed and grinned at her in triumph.

"You didn't leave me _any!"_ Suki pouted.

Suddenly, Zuko's smile fell as his face grew white as a sheet.

"Oh spirits…don't you dare," she told him, leaning away.

Too late, he turned around and let the contents of his stomach empty into a large flower pot.

"Ugh! So much for kissing you today," she grimaced.

Zuko turned around slowly, wiping his mouth on his sleeve, a dangerous gleam in his eye as he moved closer.

"Oh, no…Zuko…stop _right there_ …don't—aaaah!"

Squeals of laughter spilled into the kitchen. Iroh took his time making a fresh batch of tea, chuckling to himself all the while.

**[end]**

_Zuko's gross, haha._


	2. Stomach  Cramps

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> References that time Suki saved Toph from drowning in Book 2...and Toph kissed her on the cheek thinking it was Sokka. You know Suki couldn't keep that to herself forever :)

"NO SHE DIDN'T."

"She did! Right on my cheek!" Suki insisted. "And th-then once I told her it was m-me," she continued, fighting to calm her giggles so she could finish the story, "she said… _You can go ahead and let me drown now._ "

By this point, Zuko had fallen off the couch in his office and onto the hard stone floor, laughing silently while tears streamed down his face. "Oh…oh, Agni…" he gasped. "I can't—I can't believe I have this kind of dirt on Toph! This is _so_ good!"

"Zuko! You p-promised not to t-tell anyone if I told you!" Suki exclaimed, still trying to tame her laughter.

"Are you kidding me? Toph's _always_ giving me grief. This is my ticket to freedom!"

"Zuko!"

"Spirits, I love you so much for telling me that," he continued, grinning widely as he ignored her protests.

Suki sighed, shaking her head. It might be worth the wrath she'd get from Toph over this just to see Zuko so happy right now. He'd barely had a moment's rest all week due to the conference he was hosting to help repair relations with the North.

Suddenly, Zuko's face fell as he grabbed his middle. "Ow…what in Agni's name?" he muttered.

"What's wrong?"

"My abs—they're suddenly _killing_ me. Like after a long workout," he explained, looking up at her sheepishly, "…and we both know I've been skipping those all week."

Suki looked down at his puzzled expression, realization sweeping over her. "Zuko…" she started, sliding off the couch to sit beside him. "Have you never laughed so much your stomach hurt?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Suki's mouth dropped open. "Oh—oh my gosh! That's so sad!" she cried, throwing her arms around him so his arms were pinned to his sides.

"What are you talking about?!" he asked, blushing self-consciously. He tried to wiggle out of her grip, but she only tightened her hold, eyes squeezed shut and lower lip puckering out.

"Suki!"

"Don't worry," she said quietly, patting Zuko's stomach. "We're going to make you hurt _every day_ from here on out."

Zuko broke out in a sweat. "W-w- _what?!"_

Suki released him suddenly and jumped to her feet. She tapped her chin with one finger, holding her elbow in her other hand. "I just need to ask everyone for the funniest thing they've ever heard," she muttered to herself. "Yes…yes, that'd be a good start." She started moving towards the door when Zuko reached up and grabbed her wrist.

He held her there for a minute, brows furrowed as something slowly clicked in his mind.

"…I know a good way to make someone laugh," he said finally, pulling her down so they were at eye level.

"Oh, really?" she asked, chuckling at his sober expression.

"Uh-huh."

Suki raised her eyebrows at him, looking amused. "Well, what is—" She gasped as he stood and pushed her onto the couch, pinning her down. "Z-Zuko…" she started, cheeks burning as his hands rested on her stomach. "...W-what are you—OH SPIRITS," she cried as he started tickling her. He grinned widely as she roared with laughter.

A couple minutes later she finally gasped, "Zuko! I was supposed…to make… _you_ laugh!"

"This _is_ making me laugh," he grinned, his deep chuckles rolling into her own violent giggles.

"That's…not…what I—" she stopped abruptly as the door to his office swung open. They stared at each other wide-eyed, trying to untangle themselves as General Mak stepped into the room.

"FOR AGNI'S SAKE MAK, can't you knock?!" Zuko bellowed, standing up and awkwardly flattening out the front of his robes.

"I did knock, my lord," Mak said, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Several times, in fact," he added quietly.

"…Oh," Zuko said, flushing brightly.

Meanwhile, Suki had escaped behind the general. _"Oops!"_ she mouthed, grinning guiltily at Zuko as she practically ran out of the room.

 _Traitor,_ he thought. He turned back to Mak. "That wasn't…I mean, you didn't see that," he ordered.

"See what, Fire Lord?"

[end]


	3. Making Waves

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember that time Zuko tried to give Mai a shell at the beach, and she totally shot him down? Something tells me Suki would react differently…

Suki leaned back on her hands, breathing in the salty air and burying her fingers in the hot sand. The sun felt incredible—she closed her eyes as she bathed in its rays, listening to the cries of seagull-crabs and the distant shouts of the other warriors playing beach kuai ball.

A shadow fell over her, blocking the sun's warmth. Suki peeked an eye open as Zuko sat down on the towel, bringing his knees to his chest. His hands were cupped awkwardly in front of him.

She cocked her head, looking at him with a crooked smile. "Whatcha got there?"

He glanced over sheepishly before unfolding his hands and holding something out to her as he looked away. In his palm sat a perfectly round, unbroken sand dollar-clam.

"It's just a dumb shell…but I thought maybe you'd like it," he said quietly. "If you hate it I can just—"

"Aww Zuko, that's so sweet!" she exclaimed, picking up the little shell and holding it carefully between her fingers.

"Oh! R-really?" he said, swinging his head around. He was beaming.

She chuckled at his expression. "Why are you so surprised?"

"…No reason." He bit his lip, digging his hands into his pockets and producing several more shells of various shapes and colors. "I think that one's the best, but I found some other ones too," he said excitedly, lining them up along the edge of the towel.

Suki forced herself to hold back a laugh as she watched the Fire Lord arrange his shells in a neat row. Instead, she reached out to pick up a large conch shell. She turned it over in her hands, noticing the tip had broken off. Grinning, she held it up to her mouth.

"What are you doing?" Zuko asked, looking at her strangely.

"You can play these like a horn! I used to do it all the time on Kyoshi Island. Watch," she said, taking a large breath in and blowing into the small end of the shell.

Nothing happened. She pulled back and frowned. "Why didn't it—" she stopped, gasping as she saw Zuko sitting there, covered in water and small strips of seaweed.

"I think it was clogged," he said flatly.

"S-spirits—I'm sorry!"

"It's _fine_ ," he said, a little too casually, flicking a few pieces of seaweed off his shoulder.

"Really?"

He nodded before narrowing his eyes. "But I _will_ have to get you back for that."

"Oh…okay," she giggled nervously, handing him the shell. He took it and threw it over his shoulder before quickly scooping her up and high-tailing it down the beach.

"Zuko! What are you—" she stopped as he ran into the ocean. It only took him a few long strides before the water was licking her back. "No, wait! I don't want to get wet!" she cried, hugging him tightly as she tried to avoid the crashing waves.

A choked laugh escaped him as her arms wound tightly around his neck. "Okay, okay," he chuckled, backing up a few paces. She loosened her grip, sighing loudly in relief before looking over at him. His expression had turned suddenly serious.

"I'm…I'm glad you're here," he said quietly.

She smiled. "Me too."

He didn't respond, seeming lost in thought as he looked over his shoulder. "I didn't really want to come, to be honest," he admitted. "I just…don't really have great memories of this place."

Suki followed his gaze, taking in the long, golden beach and green hills spotted with crimson mansions. "It's so nice here, though," she said softly. "You should make some good ones."

He looked back at her, eyes smiling. "I am."

Suki knew that look, and it set her chest on fire as he pulled her closer to him. Heat was rolling off his bare chest as the sun beat down on them, and she let her toes dangle in the water lapping around his waist. They stared at each other for a long moment, breaths deepening as he slowly closed the distance between them. Closing her eyes, Suki felt his warm lips brush her own.

Suddenly, a terrible cold washed over them and tore her out of his arms. She gave out a short yelp before the wave dragged her beneath the surface. Lungs burning, Suki quickly found her bearings and popped up at the top, coughing up a mouthful of salty seawater.

Before she'd fully regained her breath, someone was pulling the soaking wet hair out of her face, holding her arm as she floated, her toes just barely skimming the sandy floor below.

"…Oops," Zuko said, biting his lip hard but failing to hide the grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Guess I should have been paying more attention."

"Well, I'll j-just have to get _you_ b-back now," she teased, shivering in the surprisingly cool water.

He curled his arms around her. "…How about I make it up to you, instead?"

* * *

Back on the beach, Ty Lee stood on the tip of a massive piece of driftwood, squinting out across the sand and the hills.

Down below, another warrior stood, hands on her hips and blowing the long strands of ebony hair out of her eyes. "Spirits, we turn our backs on him for _one_ minute and he disappears!" she huffed irritably, pacing the beach.

Ty Lee's eyes slid over the land and out to sea. She grinned.

"Don't worry, he's _fine_ ," she giggled, flipping off the log and landing lightly on her feet. "Come on, let's get back to the match!"

**[end]**


	4. Lipstick

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys - this was supposed be short and funny but it got outta control and became a big pile of fluff...oops?

"Agni, remind me why you wear so many layers, again?" Zuko growled, tugging at the high collar of her kimono.

Suki laughed as he managed to slip a couple fingers under the fabric. "It's _tradition_ ," she grinned, cheeks warming as his lips followed. She sat in his lap in the office chair, arms resting comfortably around his shoulders, fingers playing with his hair. The headpiece had long since been discarded, having rolled under the large oak desk.

"I could do without _some_ traditions," he mumbled hotly, though she felt him smile against her neck.

Suddenly, someone pounded on the office door. Suki stiffened, eyes growing wide. Zuko swore, hot breath brushing her cheek.

"If that's Mak again…I swear, I'm going to kill him," he fumed.

Suki pouted. "I thought you were done with meetings for the day."

"I am!" he whispered harshly. "At least…I thought I was."

She face-palmed as he pulled away. When she looked up at him, she blanched.

"Um…Zuko? You can't leave."

He gave her a crooked smile. "That good, huh? I promise to come back," he smirked.

"No…I mean yes, but…" Suki stopped as the door started to open. She grabbed Zuko by the collar and dragged him under the desk with her, slapping a hand over his mouth as he started to argue.

They sat, frozen, holding their breath as footsteps echoed off the granite floors.

"Fire Lord? Are you here? The chief has just arrived for…" Mak's deep voice trailed off, sighing as his steps faded away. As the door creaked shut, Suki looked over at Zuko, his face white as a sheet.

"Spirits! He wasn't supposed to arrive until tomorrow!" he exclaimed.

"Who?"

"Chief Arnook," he said hastily, sliding his arm under the desk in a frantic search for his headpiece. "He agreed to meet with me on his way to visit the Southern Tribe," he said, pulling the small ornament out from its hiding place and dusting it off. "I've got to get out there. Why wouldn't you let me get up?!"

"It's my job to protect you," she replied. "And this time, I was protecting you from _mortification."_

"Huh?" he asked, sitting up quickly and bumping his head. _"Ouch!"_

Suki crawled out from their hiding spot and stood, offering him a hand as he followed, roughly rubbing the top of his head. Suddenly, she whipped out her retractable shield, flipping the switch so it spun open between them.

Jumping slightly, Zuko gave her a strange look. "What are you—"

She held the shield out, pointing to the reflective surface. "Take a look."

He grabbed the golden disk with two hands, holding it up so it blocked his face from her view. A moment later, he lowered it, cheeks nearly as red as the lipstick across his mouth. Suki couldn't decide if the dabs of red paint made his expression seem more comical or terrifying.

"…Oh. Yeah, I probably shouldn't go like this," he admitted, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Suki giggled. "Probably not."

Before she could stop him, he was wiping his mouth vigorously against his sleeve.

"Zuko, wait! That isn't—"

"Ah, it's fine. My shirt's red anyway—won't matter."

"That's not what I…meant," Suki said, too late. The dabs of red were now smeared across his cheeks. _Definitely terrifying,_ she thought.

"…Still there?" he asked.

"Mmm…yeah," she replied. "It's warrior paint, so it's made to stay on really well."

"Then why didn't it stay on _your_ face?!"

Suki couldn't stop the laughter that bubbled up her throat.

"Y-you can't laugh! You have to help me! Arnook is out there waiting for me," he said, growing frantic.

"Okay, okay, sorry," she said, biting her lip to hide her grin. "Look, that's not coming off without soap and water, so we can't stay here," she said, moving towards the window.

"But I can't walk through the halls like this!" Zuko cried.

"You won't have to," Suki replied, hopping up onto the windowsill. She scanned the dark courtyard below. "How good are you at sneaking?"

When he didn't respond, she turned back. The room was empty. "Zuko?!" she cried, heart dropping in her chest. Suddenly, strong arms grabbed her from behind. She was about to slam her elbow into the person's face when a familiar voice whispered in her ear.

"M'pretty good at sneaking," Zuko said huskily.

"No kidding!" Suki exhaled, heart racing. "Spirits, I nearly knocked your teeth out." She turned around to face him, resting her hands on his chest. "But I have to say…I'm impressed. I didn't know you were so stealthy."

"Uh… _Blue Spirit_?" he hissed through gritted teeth.

Suki cocked her head at him, confused as she racked her brain. _Blue Spirit?_

"Oh, I thought you knew… N-never mind, I'll explain later," Zuko said awkwardly.

Suddenly, images she'd seen across the Earth Kingdom during the war flashed in Suki's mind. "Oh my gosh— _you_ were the masked man from those wanted posters?!" she exclaimed.

 _"Shhh!"_ Zuko whispered, holding a finger up to her lips as his eyes darted to the door. "Not a lot of people know about that…"

Suki stared at him. "Well in that case," she said, unsure why she was blushing, "this should be no problem."

Less than a minute later, they had climbed down the palace wall and were treading silently through the adjacent courtyard. The combination of rich foliage and the cover of darkness made it almost too easy to slip across the gardens without being noticed. When they approached their first barrier, Suki glanced behind her at Zuko, his face barely visible in the dim glow from the building before them. His expression was calm and focused, though his eyes were dancing.

Suki grinned to herself. _He's loving this._

Together, they scaled the building with ease, resting momentarily on the long beam that split the two steep sections of the roof. Suki was just about to lower herself to the other side when she felt Zuko reach out for her arm, gently pulling her back.

 _"Look,"_ he said quietly, nodding towards something behind her. She perched herself back up beside him and turned around, letting out a quiet gasp as she saw the western lake that bordered the outer palace wall, the water glimmering as the waning moonlight spilled over it.

"Thought you'd like that," he said, biting his lip to hold back a smile.

She hummed pleasantly. "It's so beautiful. I wish we could stay."'

"Me too," he breathed, reaching out to touch her cheek, gently pulling her back to face him. Their eyes met briefly before his lips softly brushed her own.

Too soon, he pulled away. "After I'm done tonight…let's come back here," he said warmly, his fingers tracing circles along her neck. She nodded, then forced herself to move away as they continued down the roof and towards the wing where the Kyoshi warriors were housed.

Just a few minutes later, they squatted below an open window. "Okay, wait here so I can make sure Ty Lee's not using the bathroom," Suki whispered, then pulled herself gracefully up and through the window.

Moments later, she called back out to him. "Coast's clear."

Zuko crawled through the window after her, sending a few small flames to light the lanterns around the mirror before plopping down on the small stool in front of the sink. As he looked at his reflection, he laughed, making the red smears on his cheeks turn into a maniacal grin. "Oh spirits, I really did make it worse."

Suki quickly wetted a small towel, then handed it to him with a bar of soap. "All right Fire Lord, time to clean up for your big date with the chief."

He wrinkled his nose, but took the cloth and soap and started wiping himself clean as Suki pulled out a hairbrush and stood behind him, running the bristles through his tangled hair.

He stiffened immediately and reached back to touch her hand. "You don't have to do that, Suki. I can manage."

She smiled sweetly, looking at his reflection in the mirror. "Pretty sure it's my fault your hair's such a mess. And you've got to get out of here soon, anyway. Do you still have the headpiece?"

His right cheek reddened but he just nodded, digging a hand into his pocket and plopping the royal emblem on the countertop. Suki soon finished brushing his hair and pulled half of it into a top-knot, leaving the rest to hang loose near the nape of his neck.

"You're hair's long enough now you can wear it like this," she said brightly, securing the two pieces of the crown into his hair. As she looked up at him in the mirror, he ducked his head down, brows pushed together.

"…Is something wrong? Sorry if I didn't do a very good job—"

He reached back and grabbed her hand on his shoulder before she could finish. "No, no, that's not it. It's just, I've been…never mind, this will probably sound really stupid."

Suki frowned. "I doubt that. You can tell me, Zuko."

He pursed his lips, still not looking up. "I've just been avoiding wearing my hair down like that because…it reminds me of _him,"_ he admitted.

"…Your dad?"

"Yeah. Dumb, right? I mean, obviously I don't really look like him," he continued, gesturing to his scar, "But…I can't help but see him in me sometimes, not just in the mirror. Every time I mess up, I'm terrified I'll become him." He stopped, tugging absently on the strands around his shoulder. "You know how many times I've broken down and cut it?" he asked, laughing breathlessly. "My valet has a meltdown every time. Says it's not traditional for the Fire Lord to have such short hair."

Before Suki could reply, he cleared his throat and stood quickly, moving away. "I g-guess I'd better hurry before Arnook decides to—"

He stopped as she flung her arms around him, squeezing him tight before looking up into his face. "Zuko, you could _never_ look like him because you have a light in your eyes, a _goodness_ about you that shines through that he doesn't have," she said.

"…Really?" he asked quietly, voice full of hope.

"Definitely," she replied.

"You're just saying that," he said shyly, though he seemed happy. "…Agni, I love you so much."

"I love you too—woah!" she exclaimed, pressing a finger to his mouth as he moved closer. "No more kissing until _after_ you meet with the chief!"

He pulled back quickly and bit his lip. "Oh, yeah. Oops," he replied, smiling a bit before heading towards the window.

"Um, we can just leave through my room now, you know."

"Are you kidding? No way am I letting Mak catch me leaving your _bedroom,"_ he said.

"…Good call," she laughed, following him into the darkness.

**[end]**


	5. Dear Sokka

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These one-shots aren't in any particular order, but I imagine this one happening fairly early into their relationship. Hope it makes you chuckle :)

_Dear Sokka,_

_How are things down south? Cold? Ha ha. So anyway, I just wanted to write to let you know that Suki and I are dating. I really hope this won't hurt our friendsh—_

"No," Zuko grumbled, crumpling up the parchment before setting it alight. The ashes floated silently to the ground.

_Hey man, how's it going? So, it's been a while since you and Suki broke up and oddly enough, the two of us are—_

"That's just rubbing it in his face."

_Hi buddy. What's up? We miss you guys. Speaking of us, Suki and I are actually—_

"Uuugh."

_Sokka, Please don't kill me after reading what I'm about to—_

"Don't give him any ideas, idiot!"

_Greetings, Sokka of the Water Tribe: I feel it is my duty to inform you that I have entered into a relationship with—_

"OH AGNI I'M A DEAD MAN," Zuko moaned, banging his head against the desk.

A few hours later, the Fire Lord stood on the balcony of the aviary, gripping the railing, knuckles white as he watched a lone messenger hawk fade into the horizon.

_Sokka— Suki and I are dating. Please don't hate me. Zuko_

Thinking over the final letter, he could only cringe. "Oh spirits. Agni. Oma and Shu!" he cried, tugging at the roots of his hair.

"Oma and Shu? Where'd you pick that one up?" a familiar voice laughed. He turned around and saw Suki leaning against the doorway, eyes dancing as she smiled up at him.

"Oh, uh…I heard it a lot in the Earth Kingdom when Uncle and I were—" Zuko stopped when Suki walked up to him. She was wearing a silk, embroidered tunic he'd bought for her (with Ty Lee's help), and had her hair half up in a top-knot. Her face was clean of war paint, though she still sported the bright red lipstick.

_Wow._

"Is everything okay?" she asked, touching his arm. A look of concern crossed her face, though the amusement in her eyes didn't go away. "You look like you've seen a spirit."

"Oh uh, yeah, everything's great," Zuko said quickly, his voice a little higher than normal. "Nothing to worry about."

She cocked an eyebrow at him, clearly not convinced.

"It's really fine, Suki. I just had to send a letter that might cause…repercussions," he said lamely.

"Oh. Well, I guess that comes with being Fire Lord, right?"

"…Yeah."

She wrapped her arms around his torso and gave him a gentle squeeze. "You're doing so great. The Fire Nation's lucky to have you," she said sweetly.

Zuko frowned, her faith in him making his guilt grow tenfold. _Why didn't I just tell her about the letter?_

"But even the Fire Lord needs a break," she continued, pulling away. "You ready for dinner?"

"Dinner?"

"Um," Suki said, pouting a bit, "I thought you said we were going to—"

"Oh spirits! I'm sorry. I can't believe—it's been a long day—let me just go change—" Zuko stuttered, taking off down the stairs as Suki chuckled behind him.

* * *

Zuko had just finished saying a (very long) goodnight to Suki when he heard the unequivocal _squaaawk_ of a messenger hawk. It had been two weeks since he sent the letter, and he'd just started to forget about it.

_Spirits spirits spirits spirits—_

He ran out into the open courtyard, throwing his arm out for the hawk to land on. With trembling fingers, he untied the small strip of parchment and unrolled it slowly. Heart pounding in his throat, he lit a small fire in his palm and forced himself to read the short message.

_Zuko,_

_You really are a jerkbender._

_Sokka_

Zuko stared at the parchment, eyes wide. He wasn't sure what he'd expected, but it definitely wasn't this.

 _Is he really that mad?_ Zuko thought anxiously, crumpling the edges of the paper as his hands quaked. _Oh Agni, he hates me. He hates me._

* * *

Zuko didn't sleep all night.

The next day, he felt especially irritable as he sat through several unproductive meetings and faced a mountain of redundant paperwork. Suki was busy teaching self-defense classes in the city all day, and for once he was grateful she wasn't around so she didn't have to see him sulking.

He'd been staring blankly at some legal proposal for several minutes when he heard it—

_"Squaaawk!"_

Jumping up, Zuko ran to the window and snatched the parchment from the bird's leg before it could even land. There were two letters, one with his name scrawled on the outside. He unrolled it with such force it nearly split in two.

_Hey buddy,_

_Psych! Suki wrote to tell me about you guys weeks ago. Man, if this thing is gonna work out between you two, you better work on those communication skills._

Zuko's mouth dropped open. He staggered backwards and fell into his chair as he continued reading.

_Sorry for the first letter…nah, I'm not sorry! Imaging the look on your face was too good to resist! I was gonna make you sweat it out a week, but then Aang spilled to Katara and she froze me in a block of ice until I agreed to write this one._

_Anyway, I think we're even now. And I'm happy for you guys, really._

_LOVE YA MAN_

_Sokka_

_P.S. Aang and Katara say hi._

_P.P.S. Appa and Momo also wanted to say hi. I think._

_P.P.P.S. Oh yeah, will you send Hawky to Toph after you get this? I'm out of messenger hawks, so I'm gonna send her letter along with—_

"Watcha reading?"

Zuko started, looking up to see Suki smiling down at him from the other side of the desk. "Oh, um," he said, flushing. He sighed deeply, slowly pulling Sokka's first letter out of his pocket and sliding both across the desk to her.

As she read them, her shoulders started to quake and she covered her mouth to hide her laughter. "Oh Zuko, you could have saved yourself so much trouble if you'd just told me!"

"Well, you could have told _me_ you'd already written him!" he exclaimed, cheeks burning.

"…Sorry. I just didn't want you to worry about it," she said sheepishly.

He sighed. "Me neither. I mean, I didn't want _you_ to worry about it."

She smiled, shaking her head in chagrin. "Let's just agree not to keep any more secrets, okay?"

"Deal." He let his head fall onto the desk, arms hanging limply at his sides as the anxiety drained away. "Now…I need a nap."

**[end]**

_Sokka's such a brat haha_  
  
_Also, if you're wondering how Toph could read Sokka's letters, she's having one of her students (Penga) read them to her. However, Sokka eventually figures out a better method, which I mention in "Masked Revenge," my sequel to "Unmasking Truth." Haha shameless plug, sorry._


	6. Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this one, Zuko goes with Suki to meet her mom and step-dad. My backstory for her is explained in Unmasking Truth, but you don't have to know any of that to enjoy this little ficlet :)

"We should totally mess with him."

"Gopan!"

"Come on, Dhatri. He's dating your daughter! I have to give him a _little_ grief," he insisted, setting the last plate on the table and flashing a grin at his wife while she stirred a boiling pot of soup.

"Gopan, look, usually I'd agree with you," Dhatri sighed, smiling a bit. "But, spirits, he's the _Fire Lord._ I think we should probably try to avoid making him—" She stopped as they heard a loud knock. Dhatri threw the lid on the pot and ran for the front door, pulling it wide open.

"Mom!" Suki cried, flinging her arms around her.

"Oh sweetie, you're back. I've missed you _so_ much," Dhatri hummed, holding Suki tight against her as she kissed the top of her head.

Figuring they weren't going to break apart anytime soon, Gopan peeked around them at the young man standing on the porch. He was watching the girls interact, a warm smile on his face. However, as the two men made eye contact, the color seemed to drain from the Fire Lord's unscarred cheek as he stood upright and bowed deeply.

"M-Master Gopan. I'm honored to meet you," he said stiffly. He was a fairly tall, well-built fellow, yet Gopan could sense his quiet trembling against the earth. _This kid is terrified,_ he realized, grinning.

"Fire Lord," Gopan said sternly, bowing in return to hide his smirk.

"J-just Zuko is fine." Looking up, Gopan saw Zuko inhale deeply before continuing. "I'm very grateful to you for having me—"

"Who says you're staying?" Gopan huffed, trying desperately not to laugh at the look on Zuko's face.

"O-oh! I didn't mean—of course, I'll be st-staying on the ship, I wouldn't want to impose on—"

"Gopan!" Dhatri exclaimed, smacking his arm before turning to the Zuko. "He's just kidding, Fire Lord. You'll learn very quickly not to believe a word my husband says."

"Just Zuko is—," the boy repeated, gasping as Dhatri enveloped him in a quick hug.

"We hug in this family, Zuko," she said warmly, pulling away. Zuko's cheek was pink, though the smile was creeping back over his face.

"We also like to tease. Sorry about that," Gopan said, placing a firm hand on his shoulder and reaching out to shake hands with the other. Zuko looked down at his hand then back up, his smile widening as he accepted the offer.

 _Strong handshake,_ Gopan thought approvingly.

* * *

"Sorry. They can be a bit… _overwhelming,"_ Suki said quietly, biting her lip.

"I like them," Zuko said, grinning as they leaned together against the wooden railing on her back porch, watching the soft ocean wind blow through the trees that grew against the hills. "And I like your house. I'm glad it didn't burn down…" he said quietly, ducking his head.

"Um, I might have exaggerated when I said you _burned down_ the village," she admitted, thinking back to when they'd first really met at the Boiling Rock. "Technically, Aang put out most of the fires with the unagi…I guess I was just a little bitter when I said that," she said, grimacing.

"Well, I'm still surprised the village isn't out for my head yet," Zuko replied, glancing around nervously.

"Zuko, you sent enough money and supplies after the war to last us a decade. I don't think they're really justified in holding a grudge," she said. _And it probably didn't hurt that I wrote telling them to be nice to you._

He rubbed the back of his neck, cheek a little pink. "Well…I still feel bad," he admitted quietly, though he seemed relieved.

She smiled at him and grabbed his hand. "Come on. You want to see the temple?"

* * *

"Do you bring all your boyfriends here?" Zuko smirked, a step behind her as they climbed the steep stairs to Avatar Kyoshi's shrine.

"W-what?"

"Aw, come on. You probably dated loads of guys before me and Sokka," he teased.

Suki scrunched up her face. "You're only my third boyfriend, thank you very much."

" _Third,_ huh?" Zuko said, following her under the painted archway and into the temple. "Then that means…you dated someone from here, didn't you?"

Suki suddenly paled. "Um, not necessaril—"

"It had to be! Who was it?" Zuko asked, grinning.

 _"Shh!_ We're in a temple," Suki chastised him, sliding her shoes off and walking down the long rug towards the statue of Kyoshi at the far end of the room. It was a smaller version of the one in the center of the village, illuminated in the soft orange glow of the evening sun that spilled in through the tall windows.

Zuko kicked his boots off quickly and caught up with her. "I bet it was that foaming mouth guy we saw on the pier," he whispered, chuckling.

Suki stopped, flushing brightly.

"…No way. It was _him?!"_ Zuko exclaimed.

"I was only thirteen, okay? And there aren't a lot of options around here—" Suki stopped as one of the village elders glared at them from across the room, holding a finger up to his lips. As they moved silently towards the altar, Suki noticed Zuko's shoulders shaking in her peripheral. She brought the palms of her hands together, ignoring him as she bowed her head before the shrine.

Suki suddenly felt hot breath against her cheek. She glanced over and saw a wicked gleam in Zuko's eyes, just inches from her face. "Did he ever start foaming while you were kiss—"

_"ZUKO!"_

Zuko covered his mouth with both hands, but it didn't stop his snorting.

"You're so irreverent," she huffed, dragging him back out of the building. Once they were outside, he started roaring with laughter.

Suki leaned over the railing, covering her burning cheeks. "Kyoshi, forgive me."

* * *

"I'm really sorry."

"No you're not," Suki said, though she couldn't hide the smile creeping up the corners of her mouth.

Zuko bit his lip to hide his own grin. "I'm a _little_ sorry. I promise, I'll be a saint when we go back tomorrow."

"If Master Ratna even lets us back in," Suki said, raising her brows at him.

"Ah, Ratna's just a big stickler," her stepfather said as he walked in from the kitchen, starting to turn out several of the lamps in the small living room. "Got all upset with me for borrowing Kyoshi's boots that one time. I mean, I brought them _right back."_

"You—you stole _Avatar Kyoshi's_ shoes?" Suki exclaimed. "Why?!"

Gopan just laughed. "'Night kids! Don't do anything I wouldn't do," he said cheekily.

"Oh my gosh," Suki muttered, blushing. When she finally looked over at Zuko, he was just smiling pleasantly as he sipped his tea.

"Whatcha thinking about?" she asked.

He looked over at her, eyes dancing. "I like your house."

Suki laughed. "I know. You told me earlier. I don't really know why, though—you must feel kind of cramped in here compared to the palace."

"I like it. It's warm, and comfortable, and everyone loves each other," he said quickly. He immediately flushed, looking into his lap.

_Oh._

She took the cup from his hands and set it on the small table before snuggling up with him. "Well…" she said, giving him a peck on the cheek. "My house likes you, too."

**[end]**

_**FYI:** I didn't just make up the fact that Suki dated foaming mouth guy – it's on Avatar Wiki. I love that site way too much haha _


	7. Tsungi Horn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Zuko's talent for the tsungi horn is canon :) Also, this contains spoilers for The Search comics.

"Mommy looks _so_ pretty! Doesn't she, Zuzu?"

"She sure does," Zuko whispered in the girl's ear. "But remember, we're not supposed to talk during the show, okay?"

Kiyi bit her lip, nodding quickly and pulling herself up a little higher in his arms so she could see over the heads of people packed into the village square of Hira'a for that night's performance.

Zuko shifted Kiyi into his other arm so he could reach over to touch Suki's hand. Even after all these months, feeling her fingers interlock with his still made his heart race. When he glanced over, he saw her staring at the stage, unblinking, mouth open in a wide smile as a handful of dancers began leaping across the stage in an epic battle scene.

She caught his gaze, eyes dancing in the surrounding firelight before quickly moving back to the performance. He grinned at her enthusiasm.

"Didn't know you were a theater lover," he whispered, leaning in close.

She flushed a little. "I—I'm not! Well, I mean, this is only the second time I've been," she said quietly. "This is just—this is _so_ much better than the Ember Island Players!"

Zuko chuckled. "No kidd—"

 _"Shh!_ Zuzu, no talking!" Kiyi scolded him.

Soon the music died down and the scene came to a close, signaling the intermission. As the roar of applause gave way, Kiyi wiggled out of Zuko's hold and onto the ground below.

"Let's go get some fire gummies!" she exclaimed, tugging on his arm.

"All right—" he started, but stopped when a firm hand gripped his shoulder.

"Sorry Kiyi, but we need to borrow him," Noren said seriously.

Zuko scrunched his brows. "Oh, uh, you do?" he asked.

"Well…our tsungi horn player has fallen ill," he explained. "I _told_ him to steer clear of that street meat, but would he listen?" he mumbled to himself.

Zuko knew where this was going, and he didn't like it.

"Anyway, your mother says you can play," Noren continued with a lopsided smile. "So if you don't mind helping a guy out…"

"Zuko! You play the tsungi horn?" Suki exclaimed, eyes bright. "Why didn't you ever tell me?!"

Zuko grimaced. "N-no, I'm not…I mean Noren, look, I would, but I'm really not that good… _way_ out of practice, you know?"

Noren's grin widened. "Ursa told me that if you said that, to say, and I quote, _I didn't pay for all those lessons just so he could never perform for anyone_."

Zuko's mouth dropped open. _Mom…_ he thought irritably, pursing his lips.

"Oh Zuko, I'd love to hear you play! And they _need_ you," Suki pestered him.

"Come on, Zuzu!" Kiyi chimed in.

Zuko felt a thick bead of sweat drip down his spine. "F-fine!" he stuttered. "Fine. I'll do it. But just this once."

"Perfect!" Noren exclaimed. "We'd better get you all set up, we've only got a few minutes before the next act," he continued, throwing an arm around his shoulder and pulling him along.

Zuko groaned. He'd managed to dodge nearly three years of Uncle's infamous "Music Night" aboard that horrible sea cruiser, yet somehow couldn't worm his way out of this.

 _I'm the Fire Lord!_ he thought indignantly. _I don't have to do anything I don't want—_

"Break a leg, Zuzu!" Kiyi called out behind him. He glanced back to see her and Suki holding hands and waving at him, both grinning ear-to-ear.

He sighed. _Spirits. I've gone soft._

* * *

Suki's breath caught. It wasn't from Ursa's stunning oration, or the display of colorful lanterns lining the square, or the stars above that stared down quietly at the small village below, though all of them were truly beautiful. What left her breathless, however, were the deep, melancholy notes that floated through the still night air. It felt like something echoing from another place, another time, making her chest swell with emotion.

_Is Zuko really playing that?_

Suki felt Kiyi's head fall against her shoulder. She chuckled a bit—it looked like the melody had more of a sleep-inducing effect on the little girl than anything else.

 _There's no way Zuko's this good. He'd have told me! Maybe they found someone else?_ Suki thought. She raised herself up on tip-toe, but still couldn't see him. Pursing her lips, she squeezed quietly out of the crowded square and slipped along the edge until she could glimpse the side of the stage. There was a small tent set up, a few dim lanterns shining over the small group inside.

As she moved closer, she saw a handful of musicians with a variety of stringed instruments and a very old man posed beside a large golden luo. However, none of them were playing at the moment, the only sound coming from the hooded figure in the corner with a large horn draped around his shoulders and a messy pile of parchment in his lap. His eyes were shadowed, but she'd recognize that sharp jawline anywhere.

 _I can't believe him. He could have been serenading me every night!_ Suki thought with mild irritation, though she couldn't stop smiling as he finished the song and the play came to a close. As the crowd's cheers finally gave way, Suki watched as the other musicians stood and crowded around Zuko, slapping him on the back and shaking his hand violently. _They must not realize who he is,_ she grinned, watching Zuko rub the back of his neck as the part of his cheek that was visible turned bright red.

When he finally escaped, he caught sight of her and hurried over. "Quick, let's get out of here," he whispered, lifting Kiyi out of Suki's arms before grabbing her hand and dragging them down a side street.

"W-wait!" Suki cried. "Shouldn't we go tell your mom how well she did—"

"We can tell her when they get back," he said quickly, eyes darting behind them. "And, uh…Kiyi needs to get to bed, right?"

Suki laughed. "Why are you so embarrassed? You were _amazing!"_

He turned even brighter red. "No, I wasn't…"

"Zuko, you're a terrible liar," she smirked.

He slowed to a stop, pursing his lips as he looked over at her. "Okay, fine. I'm pretty good," he admitted with a crooked smile. "…B-but you can't tell anyone!"

"Why not? You could start music night at the palace!"

"ABSOLUTELY NOT—"

"I bet I could learn to play that big gong, and I think Ty Lee can play the lute…"

Zuko groaned.

"But seriously Zuko," Suki continued quietly, leaning into him. "How can you not enjoy making music like that? I mean…it was just so beautiful. I would love to be able to do that."

His gaze softened a bit, and he appeared to be lost in thought for a moment before a look of realization crossed his face.

"I…I _did_ enjoy it," he confessed, seeming surprised with himself. He sighed, letting his head fall against his chest. "Spirits. Do you know what this means?"

"You've found your calling?" Suki teased.

He chuckled, looking up and smiling in chagrin. "It means…I really am becoming just like my uncle."


	8. Honor

Zuko woke slowly, unsure where he was but not too intent on finding out. He was just so comfortable, what with the soft crackling of a dying fire a few paces away, a soft flowery scent in the air, the warm body pressed against him—

He bolted upright, knocking the blanket off the couch and jostling Suki awake in the process.

"Zuko…" she said groggily, rubbing her eyes. "What's wrong?"

"W-what time is it?" he asked frantically, looking down at her.

She shrugged. "Not sure. Looks like we fell asleep," she said, yawning. "It was a pretty long day, after all. I thought that conference was _never_ going to end..."

Zuko stood quickly, brows furrowed as he reached down to help her up. "I'm sorry, I should've brought you back hours ago," he said anxiously, looping her arm through his as they made their way out of his sitting room.

"It's fine, Zuko. I _liked_ sleeping with you," she teased.

"Su—Suki!" Zuko exclaimed, turning beet red as they walked past the two Kyoshi Warriors outside his room. "Sh-she's kidding," he stammered before pulling them quickly down the corridor. The guards' giggles echoed off the walls behind them.

Suki held her stomach for a good minute as she tried to suppress her own laughter. "I'm sorry," she finally choked out.

_"Sure_ you are," he replied with a small smile, though his cheeks still burned as they walked past the garden courtyard of the southern wing.

They soon reached her door and Zuko gave her a chaste kiss. "Goodnight," he said softly, squeezing her hands. "And, uh, sorry again."

"It's okay," she said, smiling up at him. "You know, Zuko, you really are an _honorable_ man."

He groaned, letting his head fall back. "Ugh, not you too! Why does everyone tease me about that?!"

Suki took a step closer. "…I wasn't teasing," she breathed.

Zuko felt the blush creep into his ears. "O-oh," he stuttered as she ran her hands up his arms and around his neck. He hummed with pleasure, pulling her against him and in for a second, not-so-chaste kiss.

A minute later, she pulled away. "Okay, I might have been teasing a _little,"_ she admitted, biting her lip to hide a grin as she slipped quickly into her room. "Night!"

Zuko stood unmoving for a long moment as he registered her words. Then—

"SUKI!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short, sorry - but I couldn't pass up a Zuko honor joke! I have another longer chapter in the works, but it's been giving me grief so I quickly wrote this since it's been a while.
> 
> Also, I'm marking this story as complete, since each chapter technically stands on its own. However, I still plan to post more, so look out for updates! I've slowed down on these simply because I've been focusing on my other Zuki fic, Masked Revenge. It's the sequel to Unmasking Truth, and both are what I've really put my heart into. Find them on my profile :)


	9. Lee

Suki was just slipping on her sandals when she heard her bedroom window rattle. She froze for a moment before hearing it again, though this time it came out as three clear _taps._

Moving over cautiously, she sidled up alongside the frame and peeked around to edge. The courtyard outside was bathed in the shadows of a late summer evening, so she couldn't see much. That is, until a large, pale hand popped up from the ground, giving a short wave.

 _You've got to be kidding me,_ she thought with a smirk, pulling open the window and looking at the ground below.

The Fire Lord looked up at her from where he crouched in the shadows. His eyes scanned the courtyard quickly. "Can I come in?" he whispered.

"Well, yes, but—" Suki started, but before she could finish he had pulled himself through the window and shut the curtains behind him. He was wearing a long, dark cloak with a hood that he pulled off his head once inside.

"Zuko…" she said as he gathered her in a quick embrace. "What's going on? Weren't we going to the festival tonight?"

He nodded, pulling back. "Mmhmm. Wow, you look nice. You ready to go?"

"I suppose…though now I feel a little overdressed," she said, noticing the simple tunic beneath his cloak and how his topknot was replaced by a low ponytail. She was wearing the traditional yukata that Ty Lee said most people would be wearing to the Festival of Ancestors. "Hold on—you left without your guards?"

"Ah, it's fine. You worry too much."

"It's my job to worry! There—there could have been an assassin in the courtyard!"

He shot her a mischievous grin. "Come on, you look great. Let's go," he said excitedly, peaking behind the curtain before pulling on his hood and crawling back out into the dimming courtyard.

Though she was still mildly irritated with Zuko's carelessness, she couldn't help but chuckle at his giddy mood. "You still didn't tell me what's going on," she whispered, following him outside and along the edge of the building.

He stopped as they reached a gate, turning back to her. "Look, it's no fun going to these things as the Fire Lord. I want to enjoy it...with you," he said, touching her hand, his thumb running lightly over her palm. "And _without_ an entourage of guards trailing us…"

Suki had to admit—that did sound nice.

"Besides, Ty Lee's in on this. She's going to cover for me, if anyone asks where I am. In fact," he grinned, "I used to do this all the time before you guys took over my guard. Sometimes the Kyoshi Warriors are a little _too_ good at their jobs…"

Suki smirked, letting him pull her up to the top of the fence before they both dropped down to the other side. "A ruler walking among the commoners in disguise?" she mused as they ran alongside the outer wall. "That sounds like it came straight out of a folk tale."

Zuko glanced back at her, amber eyes dancing. "Where do you think I got the idea?"

* * *

Though she couldn't catch his full expression beneath the hood, Suki could still see the deep scowl on Zuko's face.

"This thing is rigged!" he said through gritted teeth, gripping the last ball in his hand like his life depended on it, glaring at the bottles lined up across the small booth.

"They're _all_ rigged," Suki stated as he chucked the small ball with all his might. It hit one of the bottles square on, yet it only wobbled slightly before falling back into place.

 _"What?!"_ he cried, looking down at her. "Then how do you win?"

Suki smirked, raising herself up on tiptoe. "Maybe they'd have let you win if you came as the Fire Lord," she whispered in his ear.

He growled a little. "…This is stupid. Let's go get something to eat," he huffed, cursing the offending booth before grabbing her hand and storming off.

As soon as they rounded the corner to the street lined with food stands, Zuko seemed to calm down a little, eyeing the different vendors with wide eyes as they moved down the crowded street.

"Sokka would like this place," he said absently as they passed a cart packed with hanging komodo rhino sausage. He suddenly looked down apologetically. "Oh, sorry. Too soon?"

Suki just smiled. "Nah, it's fine. And you're right—though if he were here, there wouldn't be anything left for the rest of us."

Zuko chuckled a little, stopping in front of one of the stands, holding up two fingers and dropping a few coins in the cart tender's hand in exchange for two fried squid. Just as he turned back to hand one to Suki, the crowd started to move in unison down the side streets.

"What's going on?" she asked.

The shopkeeper behind them laughed. "Why, it's time for the mountain lighting, of course! Best part of the festival, after all," the older man said as he started packing up his stand. "Everything shuts down during it. You two best find a spot soon if you wanna see it."

Suki grabbed Zuko's hand, pulling him after the crowds. "You heard him! We better hurry," she said excitedly. She didn't really know what a "mountain lighting" entailed, but it sounded exciting.

Zuko dragged his feet behind her, gnawing absently on his skewered fish.

"Zu—I mean, _Lee,"_ Suki huffed, biting her lip at her slip. "Come _on!"_

He finally stopped her after she'd dragged them down one of the dark side streets, already emptying as everyone moved in the direction of the huge lake. He pulled her back, leaning close so his lips brushed her ear in the darkness.

"Don't you think a Kyoshi Warrior and the Blue Spirit could find a better spot to watch?" he breathed.

Suki's lips formed a small "o" before she smiled widely and nodded her head. Before they could move, however, footsteps thumped against the roof above them and several men fell to the ground, joined by more from both ends of the alley.

"Looks like we found a couple of stragglers," a large man simpered, stepping forward as nearly twenty men formed a tight semi-circle around them. A good number of them held out handfuls of fire. Zuko growled under his breath as they both turned to face the intruders. Suki quietly pulled out the fans tucked into her belt.

"Must be an ugly bugger to be hiding beneath that hood," another one snickered.

Suki thought she saw a passing look of embarrassment cross over Zuko's face before it returned to a snarl. She ground her teeth as anger burned in her chest. "We don't want any trouble," Zuko started calmly, though thin wisps of smoke spilled from his nostrils. "Just let us pass and you won't get hurt."

The gang of men guffawed, their laughter ringing harshly off the dark buildings around them. "I don't think so, pal. That broad's way too pretty to keep to yourself," the first man said sickly, moving towards them. "Why don't you let us have a turn to—"

He stopped, his words muffled as Zuko's hand closed around his throat. As the others charged forward, he threw out his free hand and sent a wave of flames towards them that illuminated the whole alley in a bright orange glow.

Suki took the opportunity to take out the men who'd crept up behind them, weaving between their sloppy movements with ease and delivering a handful of jabs to their guts.

When she looked back, Zuko was standing over a pile of groaning men, a slew of foul words and sparks spilling from his lips as he pressed the first man's face into the dirt with his foot. As she moved toward him, she caught loud voices from the next block over.

"Oi! No firebending during the festival!" a gruff voice shouted, several more footfalls pounding into the pavement.

 _"Lee,"_ Suki said quickly, grabbing Zuko's arm. He continued to glare down at his victim, unaware of the guards who were nearly upon them. "We have to go, now!"

He looked up, turning towards her slowly. "We need to make sure they're arrested," he said darkly.

"They will be," she said firmly, looking anxiously at the main road at the end of the alley. "But if we don't leave now, they're going to find out who you are," she whispered harshly.

Zuko frowned. They both knew it wouldn't be wise to let a rumor get out about the Fire Lord roaming the city at night. Pursing his lips, he grabbed her hand and they took off down the alley and ducked behind several crates as the guards showed up at the scene.

"Takumi," the gruff voice said with an air of triumph. "We've been looking for you, and the rest of these scum. Looks like someone did the work for us. Arrest them!" he barked. With the commotion that followed, the couple in hiding crept towards the end of the alley and out of sight.

Several blocks later, Zuko turned to her. "How did you know they'd be arrested?"

Suki grinned. "I'm the head of your guard. I keep tabs on the wanted posters."

"Of course," he said in chagrin, giving her a crooked smile. "Well, we better hurry if we're going to see it," he said, reaching up to pull himself onto the roof. Suki was about to follow when she realized she had a problem.

"…Oh. I forgot you're in a yukata," Zuko said from up above, pursing his lips. "Sorry, we don't have to—w-w-what are you doing?!" he cried as she started rolling up the bottom of the kimono.

"Don't worry," she smiled, tucking the hem into her obi belt. "I've got shorts on."

"O-oh," he said bashfully, clearing his throat before reaching down to help her up. As they stood, he looked her over and chuckled.

"Don't laugh!" Suki pouted. "How else do you expect me to scale a building in this getup?"

"Sorry," he said, biting his lip to hide his grin, though his eyes were dancing. "You're just—you're the best."

Suki raised a brow. "Now what's that supposed to—"

"Come on," he interrupted, grabbing her hand again as they raced across the rooftops.

* * *

"Oh," Suki gasped as she watched the bonfires come to life along the inner wall of the caldera, forming several burning characters in the cliff side. "You know, I didn't realize when he said 'mountain lighting' that it was literal."

Zuko smirked in amusement. "Yeah. The fires are meant to guide our ancestors home to the Spirit World at the close of the festival," he explained.

Suki hummed. "I like that," she said quietly, leaning against him as they watched from the edge of a high rooftop. As the rest of the burning letters took shape in the mountainside, they sat in a comfortable silence, enjoying the pleasant nighttime breeze that dampened the cheers from the distance crowds.

A few minutes later, Suki felt warm fingertips touch her knee, Zuko's other hand letting hers go as it wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her close. As he leaned in, the flames in the distance and the ground far below were forgotten as their lips connected beneath the dark hood.

"You know, _Lee,_ you're a pretty good kisser," Suki said warmly when they finally broke apart. "…We better not let the Fire Lord find out about this."

Zuko seemed puzzled for a moment, before a crooked smile and a faint blush crossed his face.

Their lips brushed again in the darkness. "No…" he breathed. "We better not."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I patterned this festival off the Daimonji festival in Kyoto, Japan, if you're curious :)


End file.
